Surface Pro Windows 8 tablet once again available at the online Microsoft Store

Microsoft has again made its Surface Pro tablet running Windows 8 Pro available for purchase on its online store. The product has experienced stock issues since it was released. With the cheapest option starting at $899, Microsoft is certainly pinning the product as a premium experience with a rather expensive price tag. The original Surface tablet is already available with Windows RT, so what will consumers be getting with this new Surface Pro?

The highlight feature is of course the full installation of Windows 8 Pro. This tablet is a personal computer with all the capabilities of a desktop or laptop equivalent - no longer are consumers restricted to apps on the Windows Store. Fancy installing that game / software you had downloaded as an executable on an older machine? Now you can.

The Surface RT starts at just $499, which is definitely the more cost-effective option should you not be requiring all the bells and whistles in a tablet solution. The Windows Store provides ample content for consumers and we can only see the catalogue improving over time. Microsoft has a fierce battle ahead in the market, but the Surface RT and Pro are solid entry products to get the ball rolling.

The 128GB version of the Surface Pro currently has a March 1st delivery estimation. Checking the UK online Microsoft Store reveals that the product is not yet available. We'll likely be seeing a similar launch to the first Surface tablet. Stay tuned for our hands-on and initial impressions of Microsoft's attempt to create a full-blown Windows experience on a small form factor.

+1 I tipped them Saturday lunchtime and was probably scooped by a couple of hundred people. I don't know who these guys are, thinking they can take a day and a half to compose an article during a Long Weekend holiday. Lazy buggers ;-)

I own an Android and IOS tab there is nothing amazing about either one... I think the pro has more then enough decent apps for me plus a desktop! When people say amazing apps I doubt they'll ever be satisfied because apps to me will never be amazing... Now if you said Windows 8 lacked productive apps I would have disagreed or if you said it lacked decent game titles I would disagree...

Just sold my RT, now I have VivoTab Smart which was £399 in Argos and since it's Atom based tablet it runs much faster then Surface on ARM architecture and it's full Windows 8 experience, but you have to sacrifice a lot like Surface's great built quality, kickstand and covers, so I can't wait for Pro to be out and I'll definitely get it. That's why if ANYONE will be interested in getting my VivoTab Smart later this month I'll be selling it for £300.

Lol! I would never make fun of anyone's grandpappy.. I'm just saying that the SP is just to damn expensive. Now, maybe if it was $699 I would consider it. I mean, in time all the legacy apps will be developed in Metro app form, which in return will give the Surface RT a lot of capability, but besides apps the rest of the features don't add up to a $500 premium,, especially with less than 128gb of memory to work with.. I'll get me a W8 laptop in a few weeks instead, and wait for prices to drop before I go Surface pro.. But, I hope your pappy enjoys his new SPT!!

Correct. The apples and oranges comparisons are incorrect. Mind you, they are a symptom of lousy advertising that has left people unclear about what the Surface pro is, what it can do, and what it competes with. Those stupid commercial look like they were written by the scriptwriter for a 1980's Mentos commercial. No wonder people compare its price to an iPad!

The price is about right. The MacBook air is about the same price. For the person who said all legacy apps will run in metro form soon, I don't think so, desktop apps are here to stay for at least the next 5 years.

Want a Windows 8 device ans an considering this. I just hope it arrives in my country before my old laptop falls apart. Could someone tell me if an external CD drive can be used with it? I know its old-fashioned, but I still need to be able to burn Audio CDs for my old-fashioned environment.

These are fine times we're living in when devices like the Surface Pro are available! I want a 128gb Surface...yesterday. The price is not prohibitive for me but availability is. I can wait though...tax return is on the way. ;-)

I picked up my SP 128 from BB on Saturday. The experience of obtaining it lacked desirable qualities, however actually having it with the cyan touch cover doesn't suck.
I didn't know who to be more frustrated with, BB for not having it stock, not knowing a display model was there, not knowing I could pre-sale; MS for its tiny production runs; or ME for wanting the darn thing in the first place.

I ordered the 128GB from MS Canada late night on launch day. Received it Tuesday. It's awesome as many other Surface Pro owners will attest to. In addition to the cyan touch keyboard I picked up a MS Wedge mouse which works amazingly well despite it's small size.